01Salty's 'Thomas the tank engine' Diesel Stories
by 01Salty
Summary: Here we have a library of 'Thomas the Tank Engine' fan fiction stories dedicated to the diesels of Sodor. Featuring favourites like Diesel, BoCo, Bear, Derek, Salty, Daisy, Mavis and more!
1. Aystack 'Arry

**'Aystack 'Arry**

**By 01Salty**

'ARRY and Bert are two twin steelworks diesels who work in the scrapyards and smelters on the Island of Sodor. They can be mean and troublesome, but they work hard, helping melt down old machinery, so it can be reused. The other engines don't like them because they always want to scrap them.

They love to break down steam engines, and were delighted when a whole bunch of them were found in Bertram's quarry, while the Fat Controller was restoring it. But now they had all been melted down, and there were hardly any more old engines to break up. Pretty soon, the two diesels were getting bored.

One day the Fat Controller came to see them.  
" 'Arry, Bert, I have realized that there is little work for you lately. I have decided to reassign you to a different job, since there is enough work for one of you to do it alone. This is only temporary."  
"I want to stay 'ere," they both said. "One of you has to go," said the Fat Controller.  
He pondered.  
"I have an idea!" he said, "pick a number between 1 and 10. Whoever gets the closest number has to go."  
"Three," said 'Arry.  
"Q!" said Bert. The Fat Controller tried not to laugh. Bert wasn't very bright.  
"Since 'Arry was the only one to mention an actual number, he will go," decided the Fat Controller.  
"But sir," complained 'Arry.  
"No buts," replied the Fat Controller, "You will help on Thomas' branch line tomorrow."  
"Yes sir," said 'Arry sadly, as he trundled off to the shed near the ironworks.

The next morning, 'Arry arrived at the branch line sheds. Thomas, Percy and Toby had just woken up.  
" 'Ello," said 'Arry sadly. Thomas jumped when he opened his eyes, "'Arry? What are you doing here?"  
"De Fat Controller sent me to 'elp ya," he replied.  
"The Fat Controller said something about getting someone to help," said Toby, "but I wouldn't ever expect him!"  
"Well, I'm 'ere," he said glumly.  
"You don't sound very happy," said Percy.  
"I'm supposed ta break up steam engines, not 'elp 'em," 'Arry grumbled, "What diesel in dere right mind would want ta 'elp steam engines?"

Mavis and Daisy were passing.  
"How rude!" they both exclaimed.  
"Well, I'd better show you to you're coaches," muttered Thomas, as they both set off to the carriage yard.  
'Arry got some coaches, collected passengers, and took them around to where they need to go.

Bert however, was working by himself. Although he had the pleasure to bring in and watch a steam engine getting broken up, he was missing his brother.

'Arry, who had worked on the branch line for a couple of days, was starting to enjoy himself. He liked the bustle of the passengers, the green country side, and the peace and quiet. Not at all like the smelly, dirty, noisy smelters. He started being nicer to the others, and Thomas and Toby were surprised!

One day Bert went passed Tidmouth Station pulling a load of scrap. He saw 'Arry collecting passengers.  
" 'Ello Bert!" he called cheerfully, "I see you are pulling dirty trucks. Come and join me on dis beautiful line!"  
Then Thomas passed.  
" 'Ello Thomas, wonderful day!" said 'Arry.  
"Err, hi," said Thomas.  
Bert was stunned. His twin changed from a devious, scheming diesel, to a nice, cheerful, kind diesel!

Bert was trundling through the yard with his load. George was resting near by.  
" 'Ello George," said Bert glumly.  
"Why are you sad my steam engine-hating friend?" asked George.  
" 'Arry's becoming all nice and fluttery," moaned Bert.  
"I've noticed that too," grumbled George, "Tell you what, I've got an idea to bring him back to reality."  
Bert was intrigued.  
"Psspsspsspssp," whispered George.  
"Are ya sure?" asked Bert,  
"Of course!" said George, and trundled off.  
Bert then went off with his load, worried about George's plan.

'Arry was returning home with an empty train of trucks. He was whistling cheerfully. George could see him a long way off. "Time for my plan," he said. He had his trailer full of rocks, and he rumbled over the crossing that 'Arry would soon cross. He jerked the trailer hard, and a rock fell off the back and onto the track. "Perfect," said George, and trundled off around the corner.

'Arry was approaching the crossing. As he rolled over, he hit the rock and derailed. He ran down a hill, and into a haystack!  
"Oh dear," said 'Arry.  
George then rolled up.  
"You know," he said, "The line around here is very bumpy. This would have never happened in the smelters."  
"I guess so," muttered 'Arry. He was miserable. Trevor then saw him, and got help.

Soon, Butch and the rescue team pulled him out, and put him on a flatbed. Then, they took him to the yard, where he was transferred onto a flat rail truck. Bert collected him, and took him back to the smelters.  
"So, err, 'ow are ya going?" asked Bert. "Ok, I guess," replied 'Arry.  
"You know, t'was George who put dat rock on de line, so he can get ya ta be your old self," confessed Bert.  
"I know," said 'Arry.  
"So, are ya your old self?"  
"De countryside is nice, but nuttin' beats de smelters. Let's get back and melt more Steamies!"  
Bert laughed, and went back to the smelter loading platform.

The next day, Thomas was resting in a siding, when 'Arry pulled up with a load full of scrap.  
"Hello, 'Arry," said Thomas.  
"Hmph," replied 'Arry, "I wish it could be you in me trucks o' scrap."  
And he trundled away.

Thomas smiled, he was happy to see 'Arry back the way he was, even though he wanted to scrap him!

Bert took 'Arry back to the smelters.  
"Come on, 'aystack 'Arry!" he laughed, "We've got breaking up ta do!"


	2. A Bad Day for BoCo

**A Bad Day for BoCo**

**By 01Salty**

BOCO the diesel engine was hauling a heavy goods train to Brendam Docks. He loves life on the Island, after his awkward first day all those years ago; he has continually proved to be useful to the railway. That morning, he was given a special job for taking the heavy goods train, as Murdoch was getting one of his wheels replaced.  
"We're going well," said his driver, "Keep this up, and we'll give you a wash down for you hard work."  
BoCo smiled. He had had a busy week, with the growing industries.

Soon, BoCo rolled into Brendam Docks.  
"Ahoy matey," cried Salty, "You're early, captain! Ye should be called really useful."  
"Thanks," replied BoCo.  
He shunted his trucks for Cranky to load, and trundled away.

On the way back, he trundled through the Yard. He met Diesel.  
"Hello," said BoCo.  
"Hello steamie lover," oiled Diesel.  
Suddenly, a black cat walked across the tracks. It startled BoCo, and made him blow his horn. This scared the cat, which ran into the sheds, knocking over a ladder, which hit BoCo's roof, and broke.  
"Oh dear," said BoCo.  
"Not just 'oh dear'," smirked Diesel, "You've now got bad luck!"  
"What do you mean?" asked BoCo.  
"You get bad luck when you scare black cats or break ladders, and you've done both!"  
"Nonsense," scoffed BoCo, "Luck or bad luck doesn't exist."  
"Have it your way," slimed Diesel, "But don't say I didn't warn you!"  
Diesel oiled away quickly, and BoCo snorted. He rolled away, to shunt tankers for Molly's train.

BoCo trundled along the line towards the depot. Suddenly, there was a patch of faulty tracks ahead. BoCo ran over it, and derailed.  
"Oh dear," said BoCo, "Maybe I do have bad luck."

Harvey soon arrived, and hauled BoCo back on the tracks. He thanked Harvey, and continued his journey. When he arrived, Molly was waiting.  
"You're late," she said, "Please hurry, I have to make up for lost time."  
"I'll try," said BoCo, and started shunting tankers.

He had quickly and carefully shunted the tankers, and soon the train was almost complete.  
"So far so good," murmured BoCo.  
He was shunting the last tankers, when Oily started teasing him.  
"Look!" he called, "It's a greenhouse with wheels!"  
"Shut up!" scorned BoCo, who wasn't watching where he was going.  
He shunted the tankers fast into a siding, and the first tanker hit the buffers, and the tankers derailed.  
"Oh no!" cried BoCo, "Now this?"

Molly ended up taking the train ten minutes late, and the last tankers were unable to be taken, as the Breakdown Train put them back on the rails. BoCo helped, but was feeling very sad.

Over the next few days, BoCo was having a tough time. He derailed twice, caused a minor accident, and accidentally made Buster squash the Engine Inspector's bowler hat. He thought he did have bad luck.  
"If I continue this," said BoCo sadly, "The railway might close down."

So BoCo ran away to Wellsworth, and backed into the shed there.  
"If I stay here," he said, "I can't cause any bad luck."

But while he was there, he saw Bill and Ben pushing a long goods train. The trucks jerked, and broke away. The guard fell out of the brake van, so they couldn't stop.  
"Hurrah hurrah!" cried the trucks.  
"Oh snap!" cried Bill and Ben.  
"Oh no!" cried BoCo, "I must help!"  
He rolled out of the shed, and quickly dieseled away along the line.

The trucks were rattling along the branch line rattling and screaming, and Bill, Ben, and BoCo all chased them. BoCo was going as fast as he could, and soon caught up with the trucks. He told Bill and Ben to tell the signalman to change the points onto the runaway siding. BoCo soon was in front of the trucks, but some points ahead diverted him onto the same line!  
"Oh no!" he cried; "Now they're after me!"

The trucks surged against him, and he applied his brakes. BoCo saw Edward coming the opposite way down the same line.  
"O—eeer," groaned BoCo, ands shut his eyes.

But Bill and Ben did tell the signalman, and the points changed, just in time. BoCo and the trucks swerved onto the siding, and Edward passed safely.  
"Bouncing buffers," he exclaimed, "What happened?"

BoCo rolled into the siding, and crashed through the buffers into a patch of hedges. BoCo's driver jumped clear, so luckily no one was hurt. Edward continued onto the next station, shunted his trucks, and came back with Harvey. Bill and Ben helped haul away the trucks still on the rails. The signalman rang the Fat Controller and told him what happened.

Whilst Bill and Ben hauled the trucks clear, BoCo was resting in between two trees.  
"Oh dear," he moaned, "I shall have bad luck forever!"

Suddenly, his driver walked up.  
"BoCo," he said, "Edward and Harvey are- look BoCo! On your buffer!"

BoCo looked down, to see a plant twirled around his buffer. On the end was a four leaf clover.  
"Well, what do you know," said BoCo, "What is it?"  
"It's a four leaf clover," said his driver, "It's supposed to bring good luck."  
"Oh thank goodness!" sighed BoCo, "My bad luck might be gone now!"

Just then, Edward and Harvey puffed up.  
"We're here," said Edward.  
"Prepare to be back on the rails," added Harvey proudly.  
"I think it has gone," said BoCo happily.

Suddenly, the Fat Controller arrived.  
"Ah oh," giggled Bill, "I don't know about no bad luck, here he comes."

The Fat Controller hopped out, and walked to BoCo. BoCo saw him coming.  
"Oh dear," muttered BoCo, "What will the Fat Controller say?"  
But the Fat Controller was smiling.  
"BoCo," he said, "You hay have caused confusion and delay earlier, but today you stopped a nasty accident. You are indeed a really useful engine."  
"Thank you Sir," said BoCo, "I didn't think I'd get so much bad luck."  
"Bad luck?" asked the Fat Controller, "You only derailed because of the faulty sun-damaged tracks. You couldn't have helped being distracted by Oily, and it was the wind that caused the Inspector's hat to blow off in front of Buster. Luck had nothing to do with it."  
"Oh," said BoCo thankfully.

Soon, BoCo and the trucks were back on the rails, and Bill, Ben, and Edward were able to continue with their trains. BoCo's driver took the four leaf clover, and now is in a small pot in the shed where he regularly sleeps. He is quite happy, as no matter how much Diesel says he has bad luck, he is sure he always has good luck, even if it may not exist!

THE END


	3. Bear's Bear

**Bear's Bear**

**By 01Salty**

BEAR is a diesel engine who works on the main line on the Island of Sodor. He does odd jobs, and works wherever he is sent. He mostly works on the main line, and on Duck and Oliver's branch line. When an engine is sick or can't work, he fills in. This means he sleeps in many different sheds, and makes many different friends. One night, he was sleeping in the yard shed, with BoCo and Diesel.  
"Tell us the time when you came to the railway," said BoCo, "I was away at the time."  
"Well, I came here on trial with another diesel called 199 Diesel, but I just called him 199. He was planning on taking over the railway, but I disagreed with him."  
"He was a real steamie hater," muttered Diesel, "I wish he was here. We could have really taken over."  
"Shut up!" said BoCo, "Continue, Bear."  
"Well, one day he broke down pulling tankers, and a signalman called him 'Spamcan'. He now has that nickname, and between you and me, he hates it! Anyway, Henry rescued him, and then rescued me, after I had broken down with a passenger train. Henry and I became friends, and the other engines started to like me. I was then to stay in the railway, whereas 199 was sent away in disgrace. I think it served him right."  
"I agree," said BoCo.  
"Now, I work mainly on the main line, and on Duck's branch line, the 'Little Western'."  
"Pah!" scoffed Diesel, "Can we go to sleep now?"  
"How do tolerate him?" asked Bear quietly.  
"Just," replied BoCo bluntly, and they settled off to sleep.

The next morning, the Fat Controller came to see Bear.  
"Bear," he said, "Henry is ill again."  
"Pity," sympathized Bear.  
"He has to go to the Repair Yard. I need you to work in the forest, until he feels better."  
"Anything to help an old friend," said Bear cheerfully, and went to work immediately.

When he arrived at the forest, Thomas was waiting at a signal with Annie and Clarabel.  
"Morning Thomas!" said Bear.  
"Hello Bear," replied Thomas.  
"Lovely day," added Bear, "Hello girls! You look splendid today!"  
"Oohh!" twittered Annie and Clarabel, "Such a nice diesel!"

The signal dropped.  
"Well, by Bear!" said Thomas, and chuffed off.  
"See ya!" called Bear, and went to collect the logs trucks.

That morning, he helped Trevor and Terence collect logs and fallen trees. He took them to the sawmill, and made good time.  
"Well done!" said Toby as Bear arrived, "You're early!"  
"I'm just doing my job," Bear replied, and went to pick up more trucks.

A few days later, he had to take some old tree trucks to the scrapyard, which were left in the forest for Henry to take. He coupled up, and set off.

But he didn't realize they were old Flying Kipper Vans, and had old fish left in them. As he passed the Sodor Zoo and stopped at a signal, a big brown bear smelt it, and climbed out of its enclosure. It climbed into the last van to eat the fish. Bear was unaware of any of this.

He delivered the vans to the scrapyard, and went back to his shed. He was to have a rest before other work. The big bear followed Bear to his shed, and then lied down beside him. Bear had no idea, and went to sleep.

After his rest, his driver came up.  
"Come on Bear," he said, "We're late!"  
"Oh dear!" said Bear, and he raced out of the shed. He didn't even see the bear because he was in such a hurry. The bear just kept on sleeping, unaware of anything.

Bear went back to the forest. Trevor and Terence were there.  
"Henry's coming back tomorrow," said Trevor.  
"Oh," said Bear, "That means this is my last day here."

Bear worked very hard that day, shunting log trucks and vans, and helping clearing logs and fallen trees. When they had finished, the forest looked splendid.  
"Now I know why Henry likes the forest," said Bear to himself.

That evening, Bear backed into the sheds. BoCo and Diesel soon followed.  
"Hello Bear!" said BoCo, "How were your days in the forest?"  
"They were grand," said Bear, as his driver turned his engine off. All the drivers walked home, as the sun was setting.  
"Bear, stop growling," muttered Diesel.  
"But I'm not growling," replied Bear, "My engine's turned off."  
"Then what's that growling coming from?"

They all looked around the shed.  
"Bear!" cried BoCo, "Look! Beside you!"  
Bear looked, and saw a big brown bear sleeping right beside him.  
"Well," cried Bear, "How did that get there?"  
"Why don't you ask the bear?" muttered Diesel.  
"Ha Ha," said BoCo sarcastically.

The bear woke up, had a wander around, and sniffed at Diesel.  
"Ah! The bear's going to get me!" Diesel screamed, and shut his eyes.  
"Diesel," said BoCo, "The bear will not eat you. It eats fish, and other things. Not diesels!"  
"I knew that," said Diesel, relieved.  
"I'd better take it back to the forest," said Bear.

The next day, he drove to the forest. The bear followed him all the way. Luckily, the forest wasn't very far from the Yard.  
"I wonder why he's following me," wondered Bear.

When he arrived at the forest, Henry, Trevor, and Terence were there.  
"Hello all," Bear said, "Glad to see you're better Henry. Look, I found this bear. He must have been following me."  
"Ah, that bear," said Henry, "I remember him. He lives in the Sodor Zoo, and once followed me home. Driver says he likes the bright green colour. Maybe that's why he followed you."  
"This bear is a real follower," said Terence.  
"Does he have a name?" asked Bear.  
"No," said Henry, "The Zoo had never got around to it."  
Bear thought for a moment.  
"I know!" he said, "This bear can be called Followed-By."  
"What a good name!" said Trevor.  
"I agree," said Terence, "'Followed-By' the bear!"  
"Hello Followed-By," said Henry.

The bear growled, and rubbed its back along the side of Bear, as his driver led him into a van to go back to the Zoo.  
"I think you just made a new friend," said Henry.

Bear laughed, and started off towards the Zoo. He dropped the Followed-By off, and the manager agreed to Followed-By's name.

That afternoon, he was talking with BoCo in the shed.  
"So, I made a new friend today," said Bear.  
"Everyone wants to be your friend," chuckled BoCo.  
"I don't," moaned Diesel.  
"Well, at least everyone who knows how to work on railways, and not scrap steam engines," retorted BoCo.  
Diesel stayed silent.  
"I am to go and work on Toby's branch line tomorrow," said Bear, "I'll be over there for a few days."  
"This is your last night then," said BoCo, "Goodnight Bear."  
"Goodnight BoCo," said Bear, "Night Diesel."  
"Hmph," grumbled Diesel.

Bear and BoCo laughed, and settled off to sleep.

THE END


	4. Cold Wheels

**Cold Wheels**

**By 01Salty**

MAVIS is a diesel engine who works in Ffarquhar Quarry. She works hard, pushing and pulling trucks to where they need to go. She is very proud of her cow catchers and side-plates. Although Daisy says that they are silly, Mavis is happy to be the only diesel on Sodor to have them.

One day, she was trundling through the valley toward the quarry.  
"I don't care what Daisy said this morning about my cow catchers, I'm still glad to have them." she said to herself.  
Because she was late, she hurried. But she didn't see the rockslide ahead. Then she saw it.  
"Oh no!" She cried. Her driver applied her brakes, but it was too late.  
She hit the rockslide at great speed. No one was hurt, and Harvey soon came and rescued her.

Toby pushed her into the shed. One of her wheels were damaged, and her cow catchers and side-plates were battered and dented. The Fat Controller and her Manager were there.  
"We can replace your wheel," he said, "but it will take time to fix and replace your cow catchers and side-plates. We'll have to remove them now, then fit on new ones in a couple of week's time."  
"But Sir," she said, "can't I just wear these ones until new ones are made?"  
"No. You can't use them because they are dangerous, and are unworthy of use in that condition," said her Manager.  
Mavis was disappointed. The next day workmen came and removed her cow catchers and side-plates. She looked quite strange without them.  
"My, Mavis!" exclaimed Toby, "you do look different!"  
Bill and Ben snickered.

Later that day she was pulling a train of trucks. She passed Derek.  
"Hello," he said, "are you a new diesel?"  
"No!" replied Mavis grumpily, "It's me, Mavis!"  
"Oh!" said Derek, "You look different...I know! You got a new coat of paint!"  
Mavis sighed, and went back to work.

That evening, Bill and Ben were teasing Mavis.  
"Bare Wheels, Bare Wheels!" they called.  
"Don't worry," soothed BoCo, "You'll have your cow catchers and side-plates in a few days, then you can say they have bare wheels!"  
Mavis laughed. BoCo always seemed to cheer her up, and soon they all settled off to sleep.

The next day was terrible for Mavis. She was being teased by the trucks, her wheels felt cold by the wind, she couldn't run on Toby's line (Because Thomas had got into trouble before by a policeman about not having cow catchers and side-plates before, remember?), and worst of all, her best friend, Elizabeth, didn't even recognize her!

A week went by, and soon it was the day before she would be getting new cow catchers and side-plates. She had just shunted trucks into a siding, when she heard two loud whistles. Bill and Ben were racing down through the quarry with a long load of heavy trucks. The trucks had pushed them, and were rattling and screaming behind them.  
"Help!" Bill and Ben cried.

Mavis had an idea. She raced along the line past Bill and Ben, and turned around the curve onto the points. She was now facing Bill and Ben. They hit Mavis, and pushed her back violently. Her driver applied her brakes hard, and the large train was slowing down. They had all stopped just before going through a pair of buffers and into a rock pit far below. Mavis, Bill, and Ben all sighed with relief.

"Thank you Mavis," said Bill.  
"Yes," said Ben.  
"We're sorry we teased you," they said together.  
"That's alright," she replied, and they all took the trucks to their proper places.

The next day, Mavis got her new cow catchers and side-plates. The Fat Controller came up.  
"Well done Mavis," he said, "that was a very brave thing you did." "Thank you!" said Mavis.

"Would you like to run Toby's branch line with him for a little while?" he asked.  
Mavis thought.  
"No thank you sir," she said, "but I would rather stay here. My reward is new friends, and no longer having cold wheels!"

THE END


	5. Derek's Day Out

**Derek's Day Out**

**By 01Salty**

IT WAS a lovely day on the Island of Sodor. All of the engines were working hard. Daisy was working on the branch line, Diesel was working in the yard, and Salty was working at the Docks.

Derek was working in the quarry with Mavis and BoCo. He works very hard, but today, he was having a bad day. He was shunting trucks into a siding, and the trucks were being naughty.  
"Hold back, hold back!" they called.  
"Come on now," called Derek, and pushed them hard.

But he had pushed them too hard, and they were rattling and screaming as they were racing through the quarry. They couldn't stop, and they crashed through some buffers, fell off a cliff, and landed in the rock pit.

Derek rolled up to survey the damage.  
"Oh dear," he said.

BoCo got the breakdown train, and lifted up the damaged trucks. 'Arry and Bert then came and took the trucks full of truck pieces to the scrapyard. The Fat Controller arrived.  
"I am very disappointed in you Derek," he said, "You have caused confusion and delay."  
"I'm sorry Sir," said Derek sadly.  
"You have already damaged the coal hopper, and demolished an old shed. What's wrong?" asked the Fat Controller.  
"The trucks are annoying me," said Derek, "And I'm getting bored of always working here."  
"Maybe you need a change for a while," pondered the Fat Controller.  
"Oh, yes Sir, please!" asked Derek excitedly.  
"Mmmmm. Maybe I could get you and Bear to switch places for a while," said the Fat Controller, "That way you can do all different jobs like Bear, and Bear can work here."  
"Oh yes Sir!" cried Derek.  
"It's settled then," said the Fat Controller, "Tomorrow, you shall switch places with Bear."  
Derek was ecstatic. That night he couldn't sleep, and talked all night, keeping Mavis and Boco up.  
"Please go to sleep!" said Mavis.  
"Don't worry," said BoCo, "Tomorrow, we'll be working with Bear. He's a very hard worker."

The next morning Derek set off to the yard, where Bear was sleeping.  
"Hello Bear!" called Derek.  
Bear jumped.  
"What are you doing here?" he asked.  
"We're swapping places for a while," said Derek, "For a change."  
"I've always wanted to work in the quarry," said Bear, "Okey Dokey! Go to Knapford Station. The Fat Controller is there, and he'll give you instructions."  
"Ok!" said Derek, and set off.

He soon reached Knapford Station. He saw the Fat Controller on the platform.  
"Hello," said Derek.  
"Hello Derek, "said the Fat Controller, "I have your first job. Shunt these coaches for the bigger engines."  
"Yes Sir!" said Derek, and set off to work at once.

He sorted out all of the coaches for all the engines. After he had finished the job, he went to see the Fat Controller.  
"I'm finished," he said.  
"Well done," commended the Fat Controller, "Now, I need you to take a long goods train to Knapford Harbour."  
"Yes Sir," said Derek happily, and rolled off.

Diesel was getting the trucks for the long goods train ready. Derek turned up.  
"Oh, its you," he oiled, "What are you doing here?"  
"I'm doing Bears jobs today," replied Derek.  
"Well, at least you're not going off with the stories about 199 Diesel," said Diesel.  
Derek was coupled to the trucks, and he went off.

To get to Knapford Harbour, he had to go through the countryside. He loved it there. It was nice and peaceful, wth birds singing and children playing.  
"I wish I could do this everyday," he thought to himself.

Suddenly, the trucks started pushing against him, making him go faster.  
"Oh no!" he cried, "They're pushing me! Stooppp!"  
"On On On!" laughed the trucks, as they surged him along the line.

Soon, he raced into Tidmouth Halt near Knapford Harbour. Slow Coach was resting in her siding.  
"Heeeeelllllllpppppp!" cried Derek.  
As he raced past, Slow Coach yelled out.  
"Watch out! The line can be slippery!" she warned.

Derek was soon racing along the coastal route. His driver braked hard, but his wheels slipped on the wet tracks. An old siding was ahead, and his wheels slipped over the points. He was switched onto the old siding, which ended in a big pile of sand.  
"Oh dear!" he cried, and shut his eyes.

CRASH!

Derek felt stuck. He opened his eyes, to find himself in the middle of the sand pile. Bulstrode was nearby.  
"Oi! You diesel! Come to visit me? Well, go away. I'm in depression," yelled Bulstrode.

But Derek couldn't go away. He was there for a few hours until Arthur saw him as he puffed past with the fish trucks.  
"Oh dear," said Arthur, "I'll go and get help!"

Soon Harvey arrived. He pulled away the trucks, and then pulled Derek out of the sand. Salty took away the trucks, and Harvey then pulled Derek back to the yard.

The Fat Controller talked to Derek, and then sent him to the Works. At the Works, Derek was sad. He didn't feal like a really useful engine. BoCo came past pulling wagons, and stopped at a signal nearby.  
"Hello Derek," said BoCo, "How are you going?"  
"Not so good," replied Derek, "But I'm mended now, I'll be coming home soon."  
BoCo shunted his trucks in a siding, and backed in a long one closer to speak with Derek.

Suddenly, Derek heard a rattle and a shout. He could see runaway trucks in the distance. They were heading straight for BoCo!  
"BoCo!" cried Derek, "Get out of that siding now!"  
BoCo, confused, just rolled out of the siding and onto the main line.

Just then, a huge load of trucks raced into the same siding, and crashed through the buffers. The loads and pieces of trucks went everywhere.  
"Oh, thank you!" said BoCo, "How can I repay you?"  
"It was nothing," replied Derek.  
Harvey arrived to clear the wreckage, and Diesel oiled up. It was his train, and he let them break away.

The Fat Controller arrived at the Works.  
"Diesel," he said, "You have caused confusion and delay! You shall take the broken trucks to the scrapyard as soon as they're ready."  
"Yes Sir," oiled Diesel sadly.  
The Fat Controller then turned to Derek.  
"Derek," he said, "I heard you saved BoCo. After that, would you like to work on the main line a bit longer?"

Derek thought.  
"No thank you," he replied, "I like working on the main line, but I belong in the quarry."  
"That's settled then," said the Fat Controller.

Derek soon arrived at the quarry. He was greeted by all his friends with whistles and horns.  
"Thank you," he said, "Thank you!"

THE END


End file.
